Crisis

I am having a religous crisis, I have not been to a mass in about 4 years. I just don't see what god/religion has to offer me. Now I know you are going to say that if I don't I will go to hell, but I can just have all my sins forgiven like the day before I die and will still go to heaven. So how will religion help me help myself?

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They may look and yet not see; they may listen & listen yet not understand. For if they did they would turn to God , and he would forgive them.
~Mark 4:11

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

besides heaven and hell (which is quite far away for some christians), Jesus offers us an alternative, a way out of our sinful life while on earth.
Being a christian is also about having a personal relationship with God, to have God by our sides when we're feeling lonely, unhappy, joyful...etc.
For me, the spiritual fulfilling of one's heart is most rewarding. Even if you owned the whole world, something seems to be missing inside you.

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"Rich? More like mired in minutiae ..... In this case it was an indolence characterised by a pursuit of knowledge, a frenzied search for answers to everything, no matter the value of such answers. A civilisation can as easily drown in what it knows as in what it doesn't know."

- Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson

Hi, Religious Crisis:

I moved your thread to the "Discussion on Catholic Beliefs" so that others can offer their opinions on your behalf. It would be more appropriate to discuss your concerns in this forum.

God bless you,

Pat

Dear Crisis:

Please, go talk to your pastor. If you don't have a Catholic Church nearby that you would consider "yours," then go to ANY Catholic Church and ask to speak to the priest there.

Your post says that you are in a tremendous amount of pain. Something has caused this separation between you and God. Trust me. The priest has heard it all, and there is nothing you can say that will not be understood.

Jesus said, "Knock, and the door will be opened." Go knock, Hon. You'll be glad you did.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

I just want to say thanks to everyone that has answered my post, I am thinking about going to a mass this sunday. We will see how it goes. Thanks again.

__________________

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They may look and yet not see; they may listen & listen yet not understand. For if they did they would turn to God , and he would forgive them.
~Mark 4:11

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

To Crisis:

God Bless you, Hon. You'll be in my prayers.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

Crisis,
I too have been through a difficult time lately! I will pray for you and I do know where you're coming from! you'll be in my thoughts and prayers...
Amie

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I am praying for you too. Do talk with a pastor or priest.
God bless you with His grace and peace.

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I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

Faith in Christ is not belief without proof, it is trust without reservation.
I have found no greater joy, than to live totally surrendered to Jesus Christ.

Please let us know how it goes on Sunday! I hope you find warmth, peace, and joy at mass.

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Amy
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Liam has arrived!!! February 3, 2003

Originally posted by Religious Crisis
I am having a religous crisis, I have not been to a mass in about 4 years.

I think we all go through these sorts of phases. My phase was when I was in college. I shrugged off God to please myself, to cater to my own fancies and whims. It left me morally bankrupt and physically ruined. It still pains me to think about the mess I had made of my life when I was in college. So much potential, so little effort put into making myself a responsible young adult... the adage is true sometimes "Youth is wasted on the young."

I just don't see what god/religion has to offer me.

How about self-respect and a sense of purpose? Do you think that we're just all here by random, slated to live a day, a week, a year, a decade, a hundred years or some other amount of time and then that is it? Where is our purpose? If you don't believe in God, life is meaningless, purposeless, pointless. Who cares what you do, it doesn't mean a thing, it will amount to nothing. Talk about a destitute life! Atheism isn't an option for me because I do believe in "first cause", because life isn't some random happening where what goes, goes. And since I can't buy into that bankrupt line of thinking, I've got to recognize the Creator, and I have to give Him thanks and praise for what He has done.

Now I know you are going to say that if I don't I will go to hell

I never give people struggling with faith "Pascal's Wager" (ie: If I do not accept the Christian God I will go to hell, however if I do accept the Christian God I will go to heaven) because it is not that cut and dry. You've got to want to praise and worship God not because it will keep you out of hell, but because you recognize the beauty He has created in the world, and in yourself and you feel drawn to give Him thanks. That is what faith is about... even though we don't see God, we can acknowledge what He has done, just by observing... with our senses, His creation. If we can't be thankful for that... what can we be thankful for?

but I can just have all my sins forgiven like the day before I die and will still go to heaven.

It's not that simple I'm afraid. You need to be truly remorseful and sorry for your sins in order for them to be forgiven, but that is besides the point. If you can understand that God exists (and it sounds like you do)... why wouldn't you be drawn to thank Him for that?

So how will religion help me help myself?

Your faith reminds you daily of whose image you were created in, and you begin to understand that you were created for a purpose, and that your life has meaning and dignity, and that others around you were created with a similar purpose and that their lives have meaning and dignity too. When we begin to understand this, life becomes more beautiful and more enjoyable. Our lives are gospels, testaments of God's greatness and mercy and love. Once we recognize that in ourselves and in others, the world will become a better place.

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Out here in the fields, I fight for my meals. I get my back into my living. I don't need to fight, to prove I'm right. I don't need to be forgiven.